Weird Bedfellows
by DracoCharizard87
Summary: A storm forces the dragons to share huts with each other. When Percival finds himself unable to cope with Jakkin's sloppy nature, the two dragons end up having a quarrel.
1. Chapter 1: Sharing Huts

**DRAGON HEROES**

After a pretty intense story, here is a more light-hearted and comical one. Enjoy it while you can!

* * *

 **Weird Bedfellows**

 **Chapter 1 – Sharing Huts**

Tails kept himself very busy in building the village for his friends. It didn't take him long to finish the first two huts, thanks to the help of Blaze, Jakkin and Torden. The huts were much bigger than the ones the dragons slept in before discovering that it was a trap devised by Queen Vildouleur. The smart twin-tailed scientist fox saw to it that they will be just as comfortable for the dragons to sleep in. So far, the third hut was getting close towards completion.

"Since there are six of you, I might as well make a total of six huts," he spoke to Cynder and Draco. "With two of the huts done, I should be able to get the remaining four done in record time."

"That shouldn't be much of a problem at all, Tails," smiled Draco. "We're so glad that you're making this village for us to live in."

"You'll really love the end result, my friends," said Blaze. "These huts will be the state-of-the-art, modern cubbies, each with their own bathroom and kitchen. It's also a good thing that Tails brought along the needed furniture stored inside his capsules."

"That sounds very promising," said Cynder as she checked out the two completed huts. "I know I can count on you and Tails to make something that is both simple yet comfortable living."

"Don't forget about us, Cynder!" exclaimed Jakkin. "Torden and I had been doin' some work too, ya know!"

"Especially the fact that we help you take on the Pyre Squad every now and then!" put in Torden.

"I think we should continue working on the village now," said Blaze. "We're almost halfway done, so the sooner we get this done, the better."

"Yeah, you're absolutely right about getting this village done soon, Blaze," said Tails as he looked up at the sky. It had been very cloudy, which made him felt slightly worried. "I don't like the look of this weather. It seems as if it could rain any time soon. Hopefully, it will just be cloudy so that it won't affect our progress."

But unfortunately, it wasn't.

The third hut has been completed, and as the crew were constructing the foundations of the fourth hut, drops of rain started to pour. Soon, the pouring started to intensify, so much so that it was becoming very difficult for Tails, Blaze, Jakkin and Torden to continue the work. Finally, they found themselves unable to do any more with the weather.

"Well, guys, I think we best have to wait until the rain stops," said Tails. "I'll go get a tarp from the Tornado so that the hut will be protected from the storm. Blaze, go find the others, as they need to what's going on right now and where we can go from here."

"Alright, Tails," said Blaze as she got up. "It looks like we're going to be in for quite a long rainfall."

* * *

Sure enough, the weather showed no sign of relenting. Blaze brought Lily, Percival and Darky back from their stroll at the beach, and gathered everyone into a meeting. The dragons could only wonder what it would mean for them. Mustering enough courage to give the bad news, Tails cleared his throat as he finally figured out what to tell them.

"As you already know, we're the middle of a pretty heavy rainstorm," he began. "Suffice it to say that thanks to unexpected weather conditions, the progress of completing the village has been halted temporarily, probably until the next day or so."

"That is absolutely a bummer, you guys," said Percival glumly. "We were hoping that you would be able to finish making the village."

"Well, we've been working as fast and hard as we could since the last couple of days when we found the spot for the village," said Tails. "We only managed to get three of them done, so we're only halfway there."

"Does that mean we'll have to resort to sleeping inside our tents again?" asked Draco.

"I'm afraid that is probably what you all will have to do," replied Tails.

"In this dreadful weather?" asked Lily. "I think that's going to be very uncomfortable for us since the ground will be all moist and soggy, and that will never do."

"You made a very valid point, Lily," said Cynder, who had her wing covering Draco's tailflame. "The tents will absorb the rainwater, even the bottom, so when we're sleeping, we will be feeling the wetness, and that's something none of us like to experience."

"Not to mention that we're getting tired of having to sleep inside camping tents," said Percival. "It's been a long time since we've ever slept comfortably, and we deserve a change."

"This is certainly quite a pickle we're all in," said Tails thoughtfully. "We need to figure out what other alternatives are there."

There was a long silence. Everyone thought very hard, but none were able to come up with something. Finally, Blaze broke the silence.

"I suggest that we should all make the best of the three huts that are completed and live with one another," she said.

"You mean all of us have to share a hut?" asked Percival.

"Sure," replied Blaze. "There are six of you, so maybe you can form a pair and share a hut."

"You know, that doesn't sound like a bad idea, Blaze," said Cynder.

"The only question is – who are we going to share the huts with?" asked Draco.

Tails thought for a moment. "Well, Draco, you and Cynder seem to get along with each other just fine, so maybe you two can share a hut with each other."

"That's exactly what I'm thinking as well," said Cynder.

"Does that mean I'll be sleeping with you two?" asked Darky.

"Yes, you will, little brother," replied Cynder.

"In that case, Lily and I are going to share one of the huts," said Torden.

"Oh, yes! We stick with each other like glue!" exclaimed Lily happily.

"Now all that remains is Percival and Jakkin," said Blaze.

Jakkin chuckled as he put his arm around Percival. "Guess you and I are gonna be roommates for the time being, partner!" he chuckled.

Percival could only nod reluctantly. Cynder looked at the two dragons and understood his feelings. Although Percival and Jakkin had battled alongside with each other and the rest of the group, she knew that their lifestyles are just way too different for them to get along.


	2. Chapter 2: The First Night

**Chapter 2 – The First Night**

It was evening, and the rainstorm still raged on. Torden and Lily have already settled easily in their hut while Cynder, Draco and Darky were inside theirs with Tails and Blaze. As Cynder was looking out the window to the hut where Jakkin and Percival are residing in, Draco, Darky, Tails and Blaze were having some tea and chattering away.

"I must say, you and Tails have picked the best furniture we could ever have," said Draco, relaxing on the sofa.

"Just doing what I can to make sure my friends and allies have all the good stuff," replied Blaze. "Part of being a Dragon Master is keeping the dragons in good shape."

"You are doing quite well with your job, Blaze," said Darky.

"Thank you, Darky," smiled Blaze.

"There's one thing I'm confused about," said Draco. "Cynder said the other day that Queen Vildouleur and the Obsidian Devourers want nothing more but to bring the Dark Ages into the present. What exactly does she mean by that?"

"Well, from what I recalled on the Obsidian Devourers is that they honestly believe the medieval times were when the dragons were in the full glory," said Blaze. "They think that part of embracing their roots is to uphold the traditions and values of those times, which is absolutely maddening. Not to mention an utter critical research failure on their part."

"What do you mean exactly?" asked Darky.

"She means that the Obsidian Devourers have got everything about dragon history wrong," explained Cynder as she continued looking out the window. "You see, it is a misconception that the medieval were our ancestors' golden age. They were actually the dark times as it was the Human-Dragon War that lasted for several centuries. The actual golden age was been the seventeenth and early eighteenth century, it was when after a period of avoidance throughout the age of the Renaissance, dragons and humans reconciled and they became greatly respected."

"So you're saying that the golden age of dragons actually occurred in the Baroque era?" asked Draco.

"Exactly so," replied Cynder.

"Wow, that's unbelievable," said Draco. "I've always had a fondness for Baroque music, but I never knew that dragons were given better treatment at those times. Guess it must be a dragon thing then to admire all things Baroque, looking at where my species originated from and all."

"Not necessarily," said Cynder. "But it is something that a good portion of the dragons have in common. As you must remember, not all dragons are pure-blood, especially these days. Sadly, in the case of the Obsidian Devourers, there's some that would deny any possible ancestry they have with non-dragons."

"Hey, Cynder," called Tails. "Aren't you going to have your tea?"

"I will in a minute," answered Cynder. "I'm just only wondering how Percival and Torden are doing."

"I could only hope they're doing fine," said Darky. "These two have been around us for long, so there shouldn't be any problems, right?"

Cynder wasn't so sure, because Percival and Jakkin never had shared a tent with each other, let alone an apartment back when they were resting at hotels. She could tell at the back of her mind that the very first night for them will be an eventful one.

"I'm sure they'll be alright, Cynder," replied Draco. "Now please come and join us at the table. Your tea is getting cold, and we now how much you prefer them warm."

"I've put some milk in it since I know from Blaze that you like yours white and creamy," added Tails.

"Alright, I'm coming," said Cynder.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jakkin and Percival were making themselves comfortable in their hut. Jakkin felt very positive that the night will go by very well despite the gloomy weather, but Percival wasn't so sure. He was well aware that Jakkin has a different way of living, so he could only wonder if he would be able to cope with him around.

"This place doesn't seem too shabby," said Jakkin. "We should be able to have a comfortable sleep from here on."

"Yeah, I sure hope so," said Percival doubtfully. He organised his belongings accordingly. "Let's try not to make a mess of this hut, okay?"

"What kind of dragon do you take me for?" grunted Jakkin as he went to lounge on the couch.

Percival finished putting his garments in his wardrobe, when he noticed the footprints all over the floor. Jakkin has forgotten to wipe the soles of his boots when they came indoors. The gold dragon almost gasped in horror at the thought of the new hut being dinged up right from the start, but tried his to repress his shock so that he won't make a scene. He was about to wipe the floor clean when he saw Jakkin lying on the couch with his boots propped on the arm.

"What – what are you doing?" he asked worryingly.

"Relax, Percival, I'm only just takin' a rest," replied Jakkin. He proceeded to kick his boots off, revealing a pair of enormous socked feet. The socks looked old and shabby due to being greyed out and moistened from the sweat.

"Hoo-whee!" exclaimed Jakkin. "I tell ya, my dogs are barkin' big time."

Percival cringed as the raunchy foot odour hung in the air. He was on the verge of gagging, but said nothing as he continued cleaning the floor.

"Oh, and Percival," continued Jakkin. "When you're done cleanin' the floor, would ya do me a favour?"

"Um, sure, I guess," answered Percival hesitantly.

"Would ya be so kind to pack my socks in?" Jakkin pointed at his suitcase full of socks. They were just as greyed as the socks he was wearing, and they were letting off the same strong musk.

Percival froze for a moment, and then he collapsed to the ground on his back.

"Hey, hey, partner!" exclaimed Jakkin as he climbed out of the couch and tended to the fainted Percival.

 _I wonder if it was something that I just said,_ he thought to himself.

* * *

Late that night, Jakkin and Percival were getting ready to go to bed. There was only one bed, so the two dragons realised that they'll both have to sleep together. Jakkin doesn't mind the slightest, but Percival felt rather uneasy.

"So, I guess the first thing for us to do now is get ourselves cleaned," said Jakkin.

"Are you suggesting that we take a shower together?" asked Percival.

"No, of course not," laughed Jakkin, though he secretly relished on the thought of bathing with Percival. "Tell ya what, I'll go bathe myself first, and then ya can come after me, are we cool with that?"

"Yeah, sure, sounds okay to me," agreed Percival.

So Jakkin went to have his shower. Percival waited patiently while setting up the bed so that it would look nice and tidy. Finally, when it was his turn to bathe, Percival found that there the hot water was completely used up and ended up with icy cold water, which felt very chilly and uncomfortable for him. It took so long for Percival to be fully cleaned, and when he get out, he was shivering as he dried himself up with a small towel, which was the only clean towel available since Jakkin used the large one.

When it was bedtime, Jakkin and Percival slept on the only bed. Percival found it very uncomfortable to have a larger dragon sleeping next to him, but he didn't complain about it.

"Now, Percival," said Jakkin. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to wake me up. I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper, though, so any attempt might take a while."

"That is very assuring," said Percival sarcastically. "Okay, then, but I say we should get some sleep now. I'm feeling very exhausted."

"Me too," sighed Jakkin. "Well, good night."

With that, the two dragons started drifting off to sleep, but as the night went on, Percival started having difficulties trying to sleep. Jakkin tossed and turned while he slept, which caused him to move very close to Percival. Tried as he might to push Jakkin back so he can sleep with sufficient personal space, it was no good. The big Surian dragon kept rolling back, nearly pushing Percival towards the edge of the bed.

Feeling that he could not be able to sleep in the same bed with Jakkin, Percival decided to move and sleep on the couch. Jakkin's foot odour still lingered in the room, but Percival would rather put up with that than get pushed out of the bed. Slowly, the gold dragon's eyes grew heavy and he went to sleep again. But then, a loud snoring noise made it just as hard for him to sleep. Irritated, Percival went back to the room to see it was Jakkin making the snoring sounds. He went up to the sleeping Surian dragon and adjusted his pillow and position which seemed to have stopped the snoring. Feeling very relieved, Percival went back to the main room and slept on the couch once more. It seemed as if he could finally sleep in peace and quiet, until a moment later, Jakkin started snoring again. All Percival could do is cover his ears so he won't hear any more, but it was useless as he could still hear Jakkin's incessant snoring. Percival wondered how much longer he will have to cope until the next hut is finished.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** As anyone can tell, and also by the title of this story, I'm going for an Odd Couple type of plot. More hilarity and banter will continue!


	3. Chapter 3: Unhappy Together

**Chapter 3 – Unhappy Together**

Morning came, and Jakkin woke up feeling very refreshed. He stretched his arms and looked around the bedroom. Percival was nowhere in sight, so Jakkin felt that he must have woken up earlier. As he made his way to have breakfast, he didn't notice Percival was on the couch and still asleep. When Jakkin got his breakfast, he finally saw the sleeping gold dragon.

"Oh, there you are, Percival!" he exclaimed. "Good morning, did you sleep well."

Percival woke up, but he was feeling very tired. It was apparent that he didn't sleep well at all.

"Oh, it's you, Jakkin," he yawned. "Morning, did you sleep well?"

"I sure did," replied Jakkin. "And from the looks of it, you seemed like you haven't slept a wink, have you?"

"No, I haven't," answered Percival in a rather annoyed manner, but he didn't dare tell Jakkin that was because of his snoring that he was up most of the night.

"You want to have some breakfast?" asked Percival.

"Um, later on," said Percival as he crawled out of the couch. "I need to go and rinse my face."

Percival hurried to the bathroom and turned on the tap sink to rinse his face. At first he was starting to get refreshed, but as he continued rinsing his face, he sensed a funny smell. He looked down to the sink, and to his horror, he saw a pair of used socks on the bowl. Percival groaned with disgust and picked up a towel to dry his face. Least he thought it was a towel, until he sniffed what smelt like rotten eggs. When he unfolded the towel, he realised that he was wiping his face a pair of used underwear, and it wasn't even his.

"Oh, and Percival," called Jakkin from the main room. "When you're goin' to brush your teeth and clean your paws, don't forget to take my socks out of the sink, will ya?"

Percival felt like he was going to get sick. "Now he tells me," he fumed to himself.

* * *

"Alright, you guys," said Tails as he checked the window in Cynder and Draco's hut. "It looks like the day's going to be fine with no rain, so I might be able to finish constructing the village."

"That sounds like good news, Tails," said Cynder. "I wonder how the others have slept."

"I'm sure we'll find out once we head out," said Draco. "Maybe they slept well just like all of us."

"I sure hope so," replied Cynder. "It had been a bit of a stormy night, all the same."

"I apologise that there wasn't enough room for five," said Tails. "I only considered that it would only be one hut per dragon, though Darky can live with any one of you since he's a kid."

"Don't feel bad about it, Tails," said Blaze. "I think it's for the better just in case nobody was going to fare well sleeping with each other."

"We went along just fine," said Cynder. "Still, I think going with a single-person hut will be the better way to go."

"Come on, you guys," urged Tails as he opened the door. "Today's a new day and we must make the best of it!"

Cynder, Draco, Darky, Tails and Blaze went outside their and soon they could see Lily and Torden coming towards them.

"Hello, Lily and Torden," called Blaze. "How was your sleep?"

"It has been a good one," said Torden. "We slept very well together."

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Lily. "Despite the weather, we sure had and lot of fun!"

"I'm very pleased to hear that," smiled Blaze. "Now let's check on Percival and Jakkin. Surely their night must have been the same as ours, right?"

Just then Jakkin came out the door. He spun around to face inside. "Are ya sure you're going to be fine being inside all by yourself, Percival?" he called.

"Yes, I am," said Percival is an annoyed tone of voice. "Now go out and let me be! I need to clean up the hut, and surely you have a lot of work to do with helping Tails in building the rest of the village."

Jakkin shrugged his shoulders. "If ya say so," he said and he closed the door. Blaze could see that Jakkin had a confused and offended expression on his face.

"Is there something wrong, Jakkin?" she asked.

"Hmph!" pouted Jakkin. "So much for hospitality and gratitude, I was just only opening up to him!"

"What has gotten into Percival?" asked Draco.

"He is such an uptight stickler!" grumbled Jakkin. "Nothing but making such a big deal about being squeaky clean all the time!"

"Oh," said Draco. "I'm so sorry to hear that things aren't going so well between you and him, Jakkin."

"Maybe he's just having a bad day," said Cynder. "I know I can be a bit unbearable whenever I'm in those foul moods."

"All I ever did was just being friendly to him, and he makes me feel unwelcome," continued Jakkin. "I know I have a bit of a rugged lifestyle, but that's just the way I am."

"Be patient with Percival, Jakkin," said Tails. "I'm sure he didn't mean it. He just seems like the kind of guy that likes to keep everything neat and in order. Now, how about helping me out with finishing the village? Surely that will keep your mind of your problems with Percival."

"Well, okay," said Jakkin. "The sooner, the better, cause I want to have a place of my own."

"That settles it then," said Blaze. "You, Tails, and I will continue on constructing the next three huts. Cynder, Draco and Darky, is there are anything you want to do?"

"Oh, yes," said Cynder quickly. "We are just going to have a stroll around the Ise-Shima National Park. There's so much more I want to check out, like the small islands over at the bay. They look like they could provide us with something adventurous."

"Alright, that sounds all good," smiled Blaze. "Just be careful where you go, you guys."

"We will!" said the three dragons, and they hurried off to explore the park.

With Cynder, Draco, and Darky gone, Blaze goes to help out Tails and Jakkin. She could see that the Surian dragon is still in a very bad mood, and that left her wondering what was going between him and Percival. She could only hope that they will eventually set aside their differences and be a team as they are meant to be, for the sake of Cynder and the other dragons.


	4. Chapter 4: I'm Outta Here!

**Chapter 4 – I'm Outta Here!**

Percival worked hard cleaning up the hut. He grumbled to himself as he scrubbed the bathroom, feeling very annoyed at how Jakkin could leave his socks in the sink and his underwear on the towel rack. After the bathroom had become spotless, Percival returned to main room and slumped on the couch feeling very exhausted.

"Oh, man, that was just too much work for me…" he groaned. "That Jakkin is such a slob. How on Earth can he possibly be able to live like that?"

As Percival looked out the window, he could see Jakkin with Tails and Blaze still constructing the next hut. The sky still looked cloudy, but no signs of potential rain. He was hoping that they'll get it done as quickly as possible.

"The sooner, the better," he said to himself. "I don't know much longer I would be able to put up with Jakkin if he has to sleep in here again. It can't get any worse, can it?"

Unfortunately, it can.

Eventually, the weather started to change again as more rain came pouring in. Percival could only wince, realising all too well what it meant. He decided to relax with some coffee in order to take his mind off having to deal with Jakkin staying in again, but shortly as he brewed his drink, Jakkin returned, soaked in rainwater from head to toe.

"Sorry about the way I look, Percival," he said as he came inside leaving muddy footprints on the floor. "I just had to help Tails put up the tarp to protect the nearly completed fourth hut along with coverin' the other two that were just started, and all that had made me very wet from the rain."

"J-Jakkin!" spluttered Percival when he saw the footprints. "Look what you left! Don't you realise we have a mat at the entrance to wipe off the mud?!"

"Huh?" Jakkin turned around to see all the footprints he left and then noticed the entrance mat that wasn't dinged up. "Oh, I guess it must have slipped out of my mind."

"It slipped out of your mind, so I have clean up the room all over again!" fumed Percival.

"Look, I've been workin' all day tryin' to get that hut finished so that all of us can finally have our own place to live in the village!" protested Jakkin. "I'm flat out bushed, so please give me a break!"

Percival wanted to say something back to Jakkin, but at the last moment, he regained his composure and said nothing.

"By the way," said Jakkin as he tried to calm down. "The next hut's almost done, and we've been working on the last two, but with this foul weather, it looks like we're goin' to have to share this hut once again for the night."

This made Percival sigh in exasperation, but he refrained from making an objection.

* * *

The night came by quicker than expected, and everyone was sleeping inside their huts. Everyone, except for Percival, that is. Tried as he might, he found that he was unable to sleep due to Jakkin's loud snoring, which was causing the inside of the hut to vibrate. Percival held his ears as he lied on the couch, but it did little to help. Then he noticed one of the glasses situated at the edge of the kitchen counter. He hoped that it wouldn't fall off, but it was too late. As Jakkin continued snoring, the hut vibrated, causing the glass to move slowly closer to the edge. Then, it happened. The glass started to tip as it moved more to the edge. Just when Percival leapt out of the couch, the glass tumbled over the edge and crashed to the edge, scattering fragments all over the kitchen.

"THAT IS IT!" screamed Percival. He furiously made his way to the bedroom to find that Jakkin has woken.

"Wha-what is goin' on?" he asked sleepily.

"I have had it, Jakkin!" scolded Percival. "Can't you sleep without making such a noise?!"

"What are you talkin' about?" grunted Jakkin, still unsure at what Percival was mad about.

"Your snoring is what I'm talking about!" shouted Percival.

"I can't help it!" exclaimed Jakkin. "I'm so used to snorin' through my mouth, that it's very hard for me to get out of that habit!"

"You've been getting on my nerves since the night we've been sharing this hut!" burst out Percival. "You grubbed up the hut twice, you placed your dirty feet on the couch, you put your socks on the sink and your undies on the towel rack, and now your snoring caused one of the glasses to break! Look at this mess!"

Jakkin checked the kitchen and noticed the broken glass. "Surely someone could have put that glass in the right place so it wouldn't have been broken!" he huffed indignantly.

"You're the one who drank it in the first place!" exclaimed Percival. "So why didn't you put it with the rest of the used ones?!"

"Are ya tryin' to start somethin' with me?" asked Jakkin crossly. "Cause if you are, ya really need to think twice!"

"Because of your untidy lifestyle, I could not live in this hut comfortably!" said Percival. "Your snoring even made me lose needed sleep!"

"If you're so hung up about all this, why don't ya go sleep outside? No one's stoppin' ya!" said Jakkin.

"I'm not going anywhere, farm boy!" spat Percival. "This is _my_ hut, and you should respect the way I wanted things to be done here!"

Jakkin went very red in the face from that remark. "That is it!" he seethed angrily through his clenched teeth. "I have had enough of you fussin' over every little thing I do like a whiny little pansy! I was bein' good ta ya, and this is how ya repay me? No frickin' thanks!"

The Surian dragon stomped his way towards the door and opened it. "You want to have the hut all to yourself? Fine! You got your wish!" he hissed. "I'm gonna sleep out so I won't have to put with you complainin' about everythin' I do, and you won't have to be bothered by me ever again! Some friend you turned out to be! You're so ungrateful and selfish! I'm outta here! Good frickin' night!"

With that, Jakkin stormed off, but not before slamming it shut as he went out into the rainy night.

"Well, good riddance!" retorted Percival, despite Jakkin being out of the hut. "I can finally sleep in peace and quiet!"

The gold dragon went to the bedroom and found the bed was in such an untidy state.

"I'm gonna fix up everything he messed up first thing in the morning," he grumbled to himself. "I'm so tired to clean up now."

But as he climbed on the bed, a sudden thought made Percival feel bad for what he had just said. He was just about to sleep when he heard some knocking at door. Thinking that it might be Jakkin, Percival got off the bed and made his way to door, wondering what to say for his apology to the Surian. He opened the door, and to his surprise, he saw Cynder, Draco, Blaze, Lily, and Torden standing at the entrance.


	5. Chapter 5: Learn to Cooperate

**Chapter 5 – Learn to Cooperate**

"Morning, guys," said Percival nervously. "I didn't expect you would wake up this early."

"We just heard some loud noises coming from your hut," said Cynder. "And just a moment ago, we saw Jakkin heading off into the woods. What happened?"

"Oh, um, well, Jakkin and I had an argument," replied Percival. "I kinda yelled at him and said some things to him, and that made him leave the hut."

"You did what?" exclaimed Blaze.

"See, Jakkin was living like a slob," explained Percival. "He dinged up the hut twice and kept me up all night with his snoring."

Blaze paused for a moment, and then her expression changed to disapproval. "How could you do this, Percival?" she asked. "You should know better than to be so hostile towards others, especially your friends!"

"I couldn't help it," said Percival. "Last night and this one, he had been driving me nuts."

"Aren't you going to speak to him?" asked Torden. "He hasn't gone far off, you know."

"I don't know where he has gone, and I don't care," grumbled Percival. "All I want is to just sleep peacefully and not be disturbed."

Blaze and the dragons were shocked. They had never expected that kind of attitude towards Percival.

"I am truly ashamed of you, Percival," said Draco. "You were a generous and well-mannered dragon, and you just brush off Jakkin leaving as if he was nothing. As your friend and teammate, that is not what I expected from you."

Percival froze for a moment, and took the Charizard's words with much thought.

"Draco's not the only one ashamed of you," added Lily. "Even I am too, and so is everyone else standing here. You should go out there and apologise to Jakkin."

"Lily is right," said Torden. "I know you and Jakkin are different, but you should not let these differences tear your friendship apart. In fact, you and Jakkin should learn from each other's differences, thus strengthening your bond with him."

"He is one of the most reliable of our group, Percival," said Cynder. "Seriously, go find him and make amends. Cooperation is the key to accomplish the goals set upon us."

"How about it, Percival?" asked Blaze. "Jakkin may seem a bit uncouth and all, but he is a well-meaning Surian dragon shapeshifter and never meant to make you feel uncomfortable around him. He told me so that morning. Besides, you may have forgotten that the village is almost done, and it should be later on today."

After gathering much thought, Percival realised his friends were right. He felt terrible for his actions and wanted to set things right with Jakkin. "I'll do it, then," he conceded. "Do you know where he disappeared to?"

"We saw him go that way," replied Draco as he pointed to a certain direction. "Hurry up and find him!"

* * *

Jakkin plodded his way through the forest of the national park feeling deeply hurt and offended from the way Percival treated him when they were sharing the hut. The words continued to haunt him, but at the same time, he was thinking about them and wondered if he had gotten too far. He knew that it's tough for a farm dragon to stay clean all the time. On the other hand, he was well were that he had to be a bit more presentable around others. With so many thoughts going around him, Jakkin sat down on a hollow log and wondered if he should return to the village and talk things over with Percival.

"Well, well, well," came a familiar yet unwelcome voice from behind. "It seems like we got ourselves a lonely Eastern dragon!"

Jakkin groaned, and as he turned around, he could see the faces of the Pyre Squad.

"Oh, god, not you three dirtbags again!" he scowled.

"Looks like you must have a falling out with one of your friends, I take it?" asked Ciara.

"That is none of your business!" hissed Jakkin.

"Tough words for someone who is all alone," said Scorcher as he smirked deviously. "But no matter, we shall be able to take you on since you have no one to assist you!"

"You three are in for some ass whooping if you lay a claw on him!" called a voice.

The Pyre Squad turned around and Jakkin looked up. There standing over at the distance was Percival. This made Jakkin jump off the log with a sudden burst of confidence.

"I shall take you three dirtbags on single-handedly!" he declared boldly.

The Pyre Squad laughed. "Do you honestly think you can defeat the three of us on your own?" said Cronk as he continued laughing. "You're a complete fool if you do!"

"What are you doing, Jakkin?" called Percival. "Don't fight them alone! Team up with me!"

"I don't need your help!" shouted Jakkin. "If I say I can fight them by myself, I will do it and prove that I don't need anyone to help me in a battle!"

But Jakkin can't be any more wrong. He was feeling worn from being up until morning, and the Pyre Squad were a lot more cunning with their battle strategies. Finally, the troublesome trio got the upper on Jakkin as they knocked him to the ground. Jakkin tried his best to get up, but he was not completely in shape to fight.

"What a pity," laughed Scorcher. "You just can't beat us by yourself. Now, if you don't want us to hurt you even more, why don't you tell us where the rest of your group are hiding?"

"I won't tell," groaned Jakkin. "I'd rather be reduced to luggage than reveal the location of my friends!"

Ciara sneered. "Big mistake," she said.

"Jakkin, stop being so stubborn and listen to me!" shouted Percival. He fumbled quickly and desperately for the right words. "Jakkin, I – I'm sorry," he said at last.

Jakkin was surprised. "What?" he asked doubtfully.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted towards you, and the things I said to you," continued Percival. "I have been a so uptight and hung up on myself that I let my need to keep _our_ hut neat and tidy override my judgement towards you. I now realise that you never meant to make me feel uncomfortable around you and you were just being yourself. If we don't make up and cooperate like we really should, we won't stand a chance against the Pyre Squad, so you really to accept my apology, Jakkin. I'm really sorry. Truly, I am. I promise will never make you feel unwelcome again."

Those words touched Jakkin, and he thought very deeply. "Percival," he began. "You have made me understand more about myself, and you are right that we must cooperate if we are to succeed. I accept your apology, partner."

Percival smiled and reached out to Jakkin.

"Enough talk!" shouted Cronk. "We're going to finish you both once and for all!"

The Pyre Squad lunged towards Jakkin and Percival. Quickly, Jakkin grabbed Percival's paw to get up, and at that very moment, they noticed their brooches started to glow brightly.


	6. Chapter 6: To Each His Own

**Chapter 6 – To Each His Own**

As the Elemental Brooches glowed, Percival and Jakkin knew this was the signal for them to start using them. Immediately, they attached the brooches, and just before the Pyre Squad could attack, the two dragons started to glow, stopping the trio in their tracks.

"Oh, no," gulped the Pyre Squad. "They're transforming again!"

Sure enough, Percival and Jakkin were flashing rapidly as their strength increased. Jakkin's mane grew longer and his muscle mass bulked up, followed by an orange-brown aura emanating around him with a shield consisting of earth shards. Percival's skin turned a golden white complete with shiny golden spikes. They have achieved their powered forms once more.

"We won't stand for it!" growled Ciara. "You two are going down, transformed or not!"

"Try us, dirtbag!" replied Jakkin. "Pretty soon, you will learn not to underestimate us!"

The Pyre Squad charged straight at Percival and Jakkin, but the two dragons made quick work out of the trio, that they were overwhelmed by their combined strength in no time. As a final attack, Jakkin unleashed an earth shattering aftershock attack while Percival used his sword to deliver a powerful energy blast. The Pyre Squad could only look on in fear as the two waves rocketed straight towards and sent them flying across the horizon upon collision.

With the Pyre Squad vanquished yet again, Percival and Jakkin felt themselves returning back to the normal forms. They looked at each other and felt very pleased that they have cooperated with each other.

"Well," said Percival. "I must say, we really did it."

"You could say that again, partner," said Jakkin. "I'm glad that we did it together."

"Oh, Jakkin," began Percival. "About that night, there's something I want to say."

"No, buddy," replied Jakkin. "I've got somethin' to say to ya too, I'm also sorry for dinging up our hut. It wasn't my intention to disgust you, if ya haven't known that already."

"Actually, I do know that," said Percival. "And I'm sorry that I've been so fussy with you."

"The life of a farm dragon isn't about stayin' clean," continued Jakkin. "I've been working on the farm in my sweet home of Texas for years before I joined the group, so it's somethin' that's become a bit of a habit, if ya can understand that."

"Yes, I do understand," answered Percival. "Myself, I've been raised in the Dragon Monastery for quite a long time, so I've been more used to living in a clean environment."

"I can really see that," said Jakkin. "You know, I've learned something from this whole experience, that even though I can't change the way I live, I have to know my boundaries if I am to get along with others."

"Right you are," smiled Percival. "And I've learned something too, that even though I take staying clean as something of value, I must be respectful towards other people and just let them know when they go too far without being rude about it."

"Exactly," nodded Jakkin. "How about we put aside our differences for real and reinstate our friendship?"

"I was thinking the same thing, Jakkin," said Percival. "It will be one strong alliance. United we stand, together we fall."

The two dragons embraced each other, feeling very happy that they their friendship has been restored, stronger than ever before.

Just then, Percival noticed that the day was getting brighter.

"Oh my!" he exclaimed. "Look at that! We've been up all the way up to the morning! We really need to get back to the village as quickly as possible!"

"No kidding!" laughed Jakkin. "I never thought it would be morning already! Let's get going!"

So the two dragons hurried through the national park forest as fast they could to reach the village.

* * *

"Where are those two?" asked Torden impatiently. "Surely they would have been back already, especially now that the village is completed."

"Patience, Torden," said Cynder. "They will be back any time now. We have to take into account they whatever happened to them last night must have been a serious argument, so it would take some for them to finally reconcile."

"Boy, are they in for a surprise when they arrive!" exclaimed Tails as he admired the sixth and final hut he had constructed. "The village is finally completed, and each hut is nicely built with so many things that will ensure all of you will have comfortable living."

Everyone was checking out the six huts. They were most impressed.

"First the Holo Casters, then the Transporter Device, and now a village," smiled Draco. "You really are someone we can count on, Tails!"

"Is it any wonder how I fell in love with him?" asked Blaze as she blushed.

Tails could only blush back. He knew all too well that every single positive trait of his is what made Blaze fall for him all those years back, and they never felt any closer as their relationship progressed, especially when they have eventually married each other.

"Look!" exclaimed Lily excitedly as she pointed out to the distance. "Jakkin and Percival are coming back!"

Blaze, Tails, and the dragons looked to Lily's direction and they could see Jakkin and Percival making their way towards the village entrance.

"Well, it's about time!" exclaimed Torden. "You guys have certainly taken a lot of it in your absence."

"Don't mention it," said Percival. "We had a lot of talking before we finally patched things up. Now our friendship has grown stronger than ever before."

"Anything happened while you two were out?" asked Darky.

Percival and Jakkin exchanged awkward glances at each other as they thought about what they've been through during the early morning.

"Eh, not really," Jakkin finally spoke. "It was nothing than just us two chatting and bonding."

"In that case," said Cynder. "You two are going to be surprised when you check out our completed village."

When Percival and Jakkin saw the end result, they were amazed. Jakkin was even more surprised.

"Wow!" exclaimed Percival. "It's really a sight to behold!"

"How did you do it, Tails?" asked Jakkin. "It would have taken a lot more time to get it done."

"Well, while you two were away, Blaze got me up to finish building the next three huts," replied Tails. "Pretty soon, everyone else chipped in, and that's how we managed to complete the village in record time."

"I must say, that was an astonishing feat," said Percival. "We're so glad you've finished. Now we all can finally have our own place to live."

"Now all that's left is to give your village a name," said Blaze. "Do any of you have an idea what you'll name it?"

The dragons looked around awkwardly as they scratched their heads. It was something that they never had in mind.

"Wait, I got it!" declared Cynder. "We'll call it Reptiville."

"That has a nice ring to it," smiled Blaze. "Now you take good care of your new village, and may all of you work together as a team."

"You can count on us!" promised the dragons.

* * *

After Tails and Blaze have left Japan, all the dragons picked their huts as they settled in their new village of Reptiville. Only Percival and Jakkin remained as they decided to have a look around their new home before entering their huts. It was a fairly small village, yet adequate for a few people to live in. Aside from the huts, there was even a small pit for cooking outside and a spot that was ideal for meditating. Best of all, although it was close to Agowan Bay, it was reclusive enough that it would be hard for the Pyre Squad or Queen Vildouleur to track them down.

Percival had something in his mind that he wanted to ask Jakkin when they're by themselves, so he waited until it was the right time. "Jakkin, just one question," he began. "Why didn't you tell us about our encounter with the Pyre Squad?"

"It was really nothing they should be concerned about," replied Jakkin. "Besides, we took them out with ease."

"I see," said Percival. "It's just that we really need to take great care, because those guys are after us, and they will stop at nothing until they find our hidden location."

"Relax, we're all in this together," assured Jakkin. "As long as we work as a team, we will trounce those dirtbags."

"Yeah, you're right," said Percival.

Jakkin smiled. "Right," he said. "Let's pick our huts. I'd say to make things fair, you keep the one we were in while I bring my stuff over the one no one has picked yet."

"Sounds good to me," smiled Percival.

And so, Jakkin stopped by at Percival's hut to gather all his belongings and take them to his new hut. They were so relieved that they can finally live the way they wanted to live without any hassle. Nevertheless, both agreed to visit each other one day and to respect each other. Percival had learned to be more accepting of others regardless of how untidy they might be, and Jakkin in turn learned that although he may be used to his old lifestyle as a farmer, he would make sure not to go past the limit and try to be as clean as possible.

 **To Be Continued...**

* * *

Turns out that everything worked out well in the end for both Percival and Jakkin! They've come to respect each other, learned some things from each other, and understood each other, which strengthened their friendship even more. Until next adventure, see you guys next time!


End file.
